title: 6-Shogaol, an active compound of ginger, protects dopaminergic neurons in Parkinson's disease models via anti-neuroinflammation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  6-Shogaol [1-(4-hydroxy-methoxyphenyl)-4-decen-one], a pungent compound isolated from ginger, has shown various neurobiological and anti-inflammatory effects. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of 6-shogaol on neuroinflammatory-induced damage of dopaminergic (DA) neurons in Parkinson's disease (PD) models.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cultured rat mesencephalic cells were treated with 6-shogaol (0.001 and 0.01 μmol/L) for 1 h, then with MPP(+)(10 μmol/L) for another 23 h. The levels of TNF-α and NO in medium were analyzed spectrophotometrically. C57/BL mice were administered 6-shogaol (10 mg·kg(-1)·d(-1), po) for 3 d, and then MPTP (30 mg/kg, ip) for 5 d. Seven days after the last MPTP injection, behavioral testings were performed. The levels of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and macrophage antigen (MAC)-1 were determined with immunohistochemistry. The expression of iNOS and COX-2 was measured using RT PCR.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In MPP(+)-treated rat mesencephalic cultures, 6-shogaol significantly increased the number of TH-IR neurons and suppressed TNF-α and NO levels. In C57/BL mice, treatment with 6-shogaol reversed MPTP-induced changes in motor coordination and bradykinesia. Furthermore, 6-shogaol reversed MPTP-induced reductions in TH-positive cell number in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) and TH-IR fiber intensity in stratum (ST). Moreover, 6-shogaol significantly inhibited the MPTP-induced microglial activation and increases in the levels of TNF-α, NO, iNOS, and COX-2 in both SNpc and ST.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  6-Shogaol exerts neuroprotective effects on DA neurons in in vitro and in vivo PD models.
authors.affiliation: Department of Life and Nanopharmaceutical Science, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 130-701, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Gunhyuk
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Hyo Geun
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Mi Sun
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Ju
authors.forename: Sang Keun
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Ha
authors.forename: Yongkon
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Sun Yeou
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Myung Sook
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Oh
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002396:Catechols / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D059290:Dopaminergic Neurons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D020939:Zingiber officinale; D008297:Male; D008636:Mesencephalon / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D020734:Parkinsonian Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D002396:Catechols; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; C040115:shogaol